Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

All-Cause And Cause-Specific Mortality In Patients With Bipolar Ii Disorder, Chih-Wei Hsu, Yang-Chieh Brian Chen, Edward Chia-Cheng Lai, Andrew A Nierenberg, Michael Berk, Sheng-Yu Lee, Liang-Jen Wang, Mu-Hong Chen, Yao-Hsu Yang, Chih-Sung Liang, Andre F Carvalho

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Importance: Whether bipolar II disorder (BD-II) is associated with increased long-term mortality remains uncertain because most studies have not distinguished BD-II from bipolar I disorder (BD-I).

Objective: To examine whether BD-II is associated with elevated all-cause and cause-specific mortality compared with population controls, unaffected siblings, and those with BD-I.

Design, setting, and participants: This population-based, retrospective cohort study used data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2022. Individuals 12 years or older with 2 or more psychiatrist-assigned BD-II diagnoses were individually matched to 4 controls without BD-II by sex and birthdate. Additional comparisons …

Weaning Drives Microbiome-Mediated Epigenetic Regulation To Shape Immune Memory In Mice, Li Yang, Robert C Peery, Shirui Zhou, Xiaomin Chen, Leah M Farmer, Fabiola Gutierrez, Stephanie Fowler, Lanjing Zhang, Julia M Salamat, Karen Riggins, Jiejun Shi, Lanlan Shen

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

During weaning, the transition to solid food diversifies the gut microbiome, triggering a programmed immune response critical for long-lasting mucosal immunity. Previous work showed that the gut microbiome mediates epigenetic development in intestinal stem cells (ISCs) during suckling, but what happens during weaning is unclear. Here, genome-wide profiling revealed that weaning-driven microbiome changes shape the DNA methylome and transcriptome of murine ISCs in an IFNγ-dependent manner. Specifically, we observe demethylation of enhancer elements essential for MHC class II genes, which results in a transcriptional memory that persists through differentiation into adulthood. IFNγ blockade, or low-dose penicillin to target Gram-positive bacteria, …

Feeding The Mind: Dietary Consumption And Neural Aging, Bhavani Tuppale

Senior Theses

Neural aging is the process of physiological decline in the brain and increased vulnerability to neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease are associated with aging and the interaction of genetics and lifestyle choices. Previous research studies have connected Alzheimer’s disease with dysfunction in the metabolic system. To combat age-associated dysfunctions in the metabolic system, research studies propose using the ketogenic diet, which utilizes ketone bodies as an energy source instead of glucose. The thesis analyzes literature on the effect of neural aging on various model organisms, how a ketogenic diet affects aging model organisms, and how aging and …

Transfusion In Transit: A Decade Of Prehospital Blood Transfusion In Pediatric Trauma, Krysta M Sutyak, Eunise C Chen, Lea Mock, Rudolfo Cabrera, Jeannette M Joly, Kuojen Tsao, Bryan A Cotton, David E Meyer, Charles S Cox, Kevin P Lally, Natalie A Drucker

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Background: Prehospital blood transfusion improves mortality in adults, with limited evidence in children. This study describes prehospital blood transfusion in pediatric trauma patients and the impact on shock index, pediatric adjusted (SIPA).

Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort study of trauma patients younger than 18 years who received blood transfusions during helicopter transport to a Level 1 pediatric trauma center from 2011 to 2023. Primary outcome was change in SIPA at time of emergency department (ED) arrival with prehospital transfusion. Secondary subgroup analysis was performed based on transport origin.

Results: Of 137 patients, 58% (80 of 137 patients) were …

Affinity-Optimized Trop2 Antibodies Support Potent Antitumor Activity In Antibody-Drug Conjugates, Aiko Yamaguchi, Junping Hong, Leike Li, Kiyotaka Kobayashi, Chisato M Yamazaki, Summer Y Y Ha, Yasuaki Anami, Wei Xiong, Junquan Liu, Zhiqiang An, Ningyan Zhang, Kyoji Tsuchikama

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Background: Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is frequently overexpressed in epithelial tumors and is associated with poor prognosis, making it an attractive therapeutic target. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) directed against TROP2 show clinical benefit, but expression in normal tissues such as skin raises concerns about on-target, off-tumor toxicity. Strategies that improve antitumor efficacy without increasing toxicity are needed.

Methods: Using an in-house phage library, we identified and characterized a novel fully human monoclonal antibody recognizing a unique conformational epitope of TROP2 with reduced binding affinity. This antibody was engineered into homogeneous ADCs carrying auristatin and/or duocarmycin payloads. Comparative studies with …

Telomerase Knockout In Myeloid Cells Predisposes Mice To Foam Cell Formation, Dyslipidemia, Lung Fibrosis, And Cardiac Dysfunction, Zhanguo Gao, Yongmei Yu, David Wiggins, Eva M Sevick-Muraca, Mikhail G Kolonin

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Aging-associated changes in myeloid cells are incompletely understood. One of the culprits of aging is the downregulation of the Tert gene coding for the catalytic subunit of telomerase. Studies of mouse models with Tert knockout (KO) in specific cells have revealed the importance of the telomere-independent noncanonical function of TERT in supporting mitochondrial metabolism and protection from cell senescence. To investigate the role of TERT in myeloid cells (MCs), we analyzed mice with Tert KO in the LysM+ lineage, indelibly labeled with membrane green fluorescent protein (mG). Macrophage numbers and properties in various organs were compared. Changes in the vasculature, …

Tfeb Degradation Is Regulated By An Ikk/Β-Trcp2 Phosphorylation-Ubiquitination Cascade, Yan Xiong, Jaiprakash Sharma, Meggie N Young, Wen Xiong, Ali Jazayeri, Karl F Poncha, Ma Xenia G Ilagan, Qing Wang, Bei Gao, Hui Zheng, Nicolas L Young, Marco Sardiello

Center on Aging Staff Publications

Transcription factor EB (TFEB) is a master regulator of lysosomal biogenesis and cellular clearance pathways. TFEB activity is tightly controlled by multiple post-translational mechanisms, but the exact molecular mechanism controlling its stability has remained elusive. Here, we identify the IκB kinase (IKK) complex as a key regulator of TFEB protein stability through a phosphorylation-ubiquitination cascade. A high-content kinase inhibitor screen reveals that IKK inhibition increases TFEB protein levels, and genetic ablation of IKK components increases TFEB stability, upregulates lysosomal genes, and enhances lysosomal biogenesis and degradative capacity. Mechanistically, we show that IKK phosphorylates TFEB on a cluster of serine residues …

Predicting Ventilation From Single Breathing Phase Non-Contrast Ct Using Swin Transformers, Yi-Kuan Liu, Hsu-Ting Kuo, Alaa Melek, Richard Castillo, Yevgeniy Vinogradskiy, Lili Zhao, Girish Nair, Edward Castillo

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary ventilation imaging enables functional avoidance radiotherapy treatment plans by quantifying regional lung function. However, current clinical standards, such as 99𝑚Tc-based single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), rely on radioactive tracers, which can introduce imaging deposition artifacts. CT ventilation imaging (CTVI) methods based on both physical models and deep learning approaches currently require multiple CT images as input, such as the inhale/exhale phases of a 4DCT. While the theoretical foundation of physics-based CTVI is built on multi-phase information, the feasibility of single-phase deep learning CTV models has not been determined.

PURPOSE: While deep learning methods have predicted SPECT ventilation from …

Comparative Analysis Of Mlp And Cnn Models For Cardiac Arrhythmia Classification, Veltman Okey-Ejowhor, Vahid Emamian

Posters - 2026

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a record of the electric activity of the heart over time. ECG analysis plays a pivotal role in diagnosing critical heart conditions. Significant developments have been made in the realm of deep learning and applied artificial intelligence. These deep learning models have been utilized heavily because of their ability to analyze deep morphological features of each signal. The model architecture used in this study is a convolutional neural network (CNN) combined with a multi-layered perceptron (MLP). The MLP acts as an input filter that classifies normal heartbeat signals from abnormal. The CNN is the second filter in …

Hyperglycemia And Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Cards Toxin Impacts On Lung Epithelial And Fibroblast Injury And Recovery, Alejandra Y. Delgado, Naila Villagomez, Shuri Magdalene

Posters - 2026

Mycoplasma pneumoniae CARDS toxin induces cytotoxicity and inflammation in lung epithelial cells²·¹⁰·¹¹, while hyperglycemia independently elevates ROS and disrupts fibroblast repair¹·⁵·⁸, contributing to the heightened respiratory infection severity seen in diabetic patients¹. However, the interaction between hyperglycemic conditions and CARDS toxin-induced lung injury remains unexplored.

This study investigates how increasing high-glucose (HG) pre-conditioning modifies CARDS toxin-induced injury and recovery in A549⁶ and IMR-90⁷ cells compared to normal glucose (NG ≈ 5mM) controls. We hypothesized that increasing glucose pre-conditioning concentrations would produce a dose-dependent increase in CARDS toxin-induced oxidative stress¹² and inflammatory cytokine production¹⁵ in IMR-90 and A549 compared with normal …

Author Correction: Phenome-Wide Analysis Of Copy Number Variants In 470,727 Uk Biobank Genomes, Xueqing Zoe Zou, Fengyuan Hu, Haiyi Lou, Oliver S Burren, Xiaoyin Li, Karyn Megy, Eleanor Wheeler, Qiang Wu, Santosh S Atanur, Marcin Karpinski, Douglas Loesch, Zammy Fairhurst-Hunter, Sri V V Deevi, Erin Oerton, Sean Wen, Xiao Jiang, Cecilia Salvoro, Jonathan Mitchell, Abhishek Nag, Ben Hollis, Amanda O'Neill, Astrazeneca Genomics Initiative, Jen Harrow, Stewart Macarthur, Sebastian Wasilewski, Sean O'Dell, Lifeng Tian, Katherine R Smith, Guillermo Del Angel, Margarete Fabre, Ryan S Dhindsa, Quanli Wang, Slavé Petrovski, Keren Carss

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Phenome-Wide Analysis Of Copy Number Variants In 470,727 Uk Biobank Genomes, Xueqing Zoe Zou, Fengyuan Hu, Haiyi Lou, Oliver S Burren, Xiaoyin Li, Karyn Megy, Eleanor Wheeler, Qiang Wu, Santosh S Atanur, Marcin Karpinski, Douglas Loesch, Zammy Fairhurst-Hunter, Sri V V Deevi, Erin Oerton, Sean Wen, Xiao Jiang, Cecilia Salvoro, Jonathan Mitchell, Abhishek Nag, Ben Hollis, Amanda O'Neill, Jen Harrow, Stewart Macarthur, Sebastian Wasilewski, Sean O'Dell, Lifeng Tian, Katherine R Smith, Guillermo Del Angel, Margarete Fabre, Ryan S Dhindsa, Quanli Wang, Slavé Petrovski, Keren Carss

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Copy number variants (CNVs) are key drivers of human diversity and disease risk1. Here we evaluate the role of CNVs across a broad range of human phenotypes and diseases by analysing CNVs from 470,727 UK Biobank whole-genome sequences and conducting a variant- and gene-level phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) with 2,941 plasma protein abundance measurements, 13,336 binary clinical phenotypes and 1,911 quantitative traits. Proteomic analyses validated functional associations of CNVs with nearby genes (cis-protein quantitative trait loci; cis-pQTLs)—with deletions and duplications typically associated with reduced and increased protein levels, respectively—and uncovered previously unknown protein–protein interactions …

56-Year-Old Man With Dyspnea And Volume Overload, Altamish Daredia, Han Yu, Ryan Walsh, Benjamin Karfunkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4 Group A Member 2 Induces A Warburg-Like Effect And Promotes Phospholipids Synthesis In The Mouse Heart, Sadia Ashraf, Dorcas Odogwu, David D Mcpherson, Romain Harmancey

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Myocardial metabolic flexibility is critical to ensuring the heart's capacity to maintain contraction and cellular functions under rapidly evolving environmental conditions. Although it is a tightly regulated process, loss of metabolic flexibility is often regarded as a contributing factor to heart failure. This study aims to determine the effects of the early response transcription factor nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 2 (NR4A2) on cardiac metabolism and the resulting impact on left ventricular function. A multiomics approach combining the analysis of global ventricular gene expression, genome-wide NR4A2 binding, and untargeted metabolomics was used to track the molecular effects of …

Distinct Effects Of Complement C4a And C4b Copy Numbers In Systemic Sclerosis Serological And Clinical Subtypes, Javier Martínez-López, Carlos Rangel-Peláez, Inmaculada Rodriguez-Martin, Alfredo Guillen-Del-Castillo, Carmen P Simeón-Aznar, José L Callejas, Oliver Distler, Susanna M Proudman, Mandana Nikpour, Nicolas Hunzelmann, Gianluca Moroncini, Jeska K De Vries-Bouwstra, Ariane L Herrick, Yannick Allanore, Marta E Alarcon-Riquelme, Lorenzo Beretta, Shervin Assassi, Christopher P Denton, Maureen D Mayes, Javier Martin, Marialbert Acosta-Herrera, Martin Kerick

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Complement component 4 (C4), encoded by C4A and C4B within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on chromosome 6, regulates the immune response and clears immune complexes. The variable copy number (CN) of C4 genes and retroviral human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) element influence its function. Given the relationship of C4 CN with systemic sclerosis (SSc) risk, we assessed associations with SSc clinical and serologic subtypes.

Methods: We compared imputed C4 CNs across SSc subgroups (4,049 anticentromere positive [ACA+]; 2,200 anti-topoisomerase I [ATA+]; 577 anti-RNA polymerase [ARA+]; 1,078 triple-negative [TN] patients; 6,295 limited cutaneous SSc [lcSSc]; and 2,946 diffuse cutaneous …

Vascular Disease Patient Information Page: Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (Hht), Rohan R Kasthuri, Harish Eswaran, Karen Smith, Raj S Kasthuri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Reply To Ozkok Et Al., Vikas Kannojiya, Akshita Sahni, Emily Eickhoff, Neha Zacharia, Nicole St Clair, Noah Schulz, Peter E Hammer, Pedro J Del Nido, Rahul H Rathod, David M Hoganson, Vijay Govindarajan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Prkg1 Pathogenic Variants Cause Thoracic Aortic Dissection With Minimal Aortic Dilation: Insights From The Uthealth Houston Multidisciplinary Aortic And Vascular Disease Conference, Ali Askari, Jennifer R Landes, Alana Cecchi, Cihan Duran, Bihong Zhao, Gustavo S Oderich, L Maximilian Buja, Dianna M Milewicz, Anthony L Estrera, Rana O Afifi, Siddharth K Prakash

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

A single, recurrent, gain-of-function pathogenic variant in PRKG1 (p.Arg177Gln, also referred to as p.Arg192Gln) causes heritable thoracic aortic disease with a high lifetime risk for aortic dissections that frequently occur before there is enlargement of the proximal thoracic aorta. This report summarizes the clinical manifestations of the PRKG1 pathogenic variant in two unrelated families, including early-onset type A dissection, chronic thoracoabdominal dissection with visceral complications, and elective aortic repair of the proximal aorta with minimal enlargement. In both families, multiple individuals experienced acute dissections at young ages that led to five fatalities. These cases illustrate the early onset of manifestations …

Exploring Early Antifungal Activity Of Rezafungin As A Stepping-Stone For Shorter Treatment Duration For Candidemia: Pooled Analysis Of 2 Randomized Trials, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Jalal A Aram, Mark Redell, George R Thompson, Oliver A Cornely, James A Mckinnell, Andrej Spec, Peter G Pappas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Guidelines recommend ≥2 weeks of antifungal therapy after candidemia clearance and for invasive candidiasis (IC). This post-hoc analysis evaluates Day 7 pooled data from the phase 2 STRIVE and phase 3 ReSTORE trials to explore early antifungal activity.

Methods: Adults with candidemia and/or IC received weekly rezafungin 400/200 mg or daily caspofungin 70/50 mg for ≤4 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated in the modified intent-to-treat population via all-cause mortality (ACM; primary endpoint; 20% noninferiority margin), mycological eradication, and time to negative blood culture (TTNBC) at days 7, 14, and 30 (TTNBC assessed only in patients with candidemia). Day 7 safety …

Intestinal Fungi Shape The Biology Of The Mammalian Gut, Elena Lindemann-Pérez, J Christian Pérez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

How I Do It: The Transtracheal Approach For Awake Cricopharyngeal Botulinum Toxin Injection, Andrew Tritter, Alexander Simko, Karim Asi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This transtracheal technique for cricopharyngeal botulinum toxin injection is a safe and effective option for chemodenervation of this muscle in the awake patient. Its advantages include reduced risk of toxin spread to intrinsic laryngeal muscles, the ability to administer higher doses of botulinum toxin, improved access to the entire length of the cricopharyngeus, and avoidance of general anesthesia.

Weight Loss And Chronic Rhinosinusitis In The Obese Population: Associations With Disease Risk And Burden, Zain Mehdi, Akshay R Prabhakar, Jagan M R Dwarampudi, Justina R Varghese, Heli Majeethia, Faizaan Khan, Roshan Dongre, Franklin M Wu, Aatin Dhanda, Sebastian Guadarrama-Sistos-Vazquez, Tania Banerjee, Renjie Hu, Amber U Luong, Dennis M Tang, Edward D Mccoul, Mohammad Chaaban, Masayoshi Takashima, Omar G Ahmed

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Obesity is associated with increased risk and severity of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), yet the impact of weight loss (WL) on CRS development and burden is not well defined. This study investigates whether weight reduction influences the likelihood of developing CRS and improves clinical outcomes among obese adults.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study using the NIH All of Us database. Obese adults (BMI ≥ 30) with complete demographics and follow-up were included. To assess CRS onset, patients were stratified into sequential WL cohorts and followed for 1 year. To assess CRS outcomes, patients who lost ≥ 5 BMI points were categorized …

Inflating Your Success: An Algorithmic Approach To Improving Outcomes In Pediatric Tissue Expansion, Jackson C Green, Samuel G Ruiz, Kylie R Swiekatowski, Ellen B Wang, Paul Won, Chioma G Obinero, Tien Do, Danielle Sobol, Matthew R Greives

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Tissue expanders (TEs) are vital for creating soft tissue for reconstruction. This study examines the challenges of pediatric TEs and proposes an algorithm to minimize complications and optimize outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective review (2014-2024) included patients younger than 18 years with TEs, excluding breast reconstruction cases. Initial TE fills were performed in-clinic 2 weeks postoperatively with parent education, whereas subsequent expansions were managed at home. Parents monitored for complications, started antibiotics, and scheduled urgent visits if needed. Data collected included demographics, TE characteristics, indications, defect size, and outcomes.

Results: Forty pediatric patients (median age: 5.2 y) had 96 TEs …

Growth Failure And Early Recurrence In Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: An International Cohort Study, Rachel C Bordelon, Kylie I Holden, Charles C Miller, Ashley H Ebanks, Kevin P Lally, Matthew T Harting, Allison L Speer, Representing The Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Study Group

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: The primary objective was to determine whether growth failure (GF) is associated with early recurrence in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). The secondary objective was to characterize the prevalence and severity of GF in CDH survivors.

Background: GF is common among CDH survivors, yet it is unclear how growth challenges affect overall morbidity, including hernia recurrence. CDH-specific nutritional guidelines include high calorie and protein targets during periods of acute illness but may benefit from clarifying the relationship between growth and adverse outcomes in this population.

Methods: This multicenter cohort study retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data from the CDH Study Group …

Multiparametric Mri To Predict Response To Irreversible Electroporation Plus Anti-Pd-1 Immunotherapy In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Qizhen Cao, Mark D Pagel, Charles V Kingsley, Jingfei Ma, James P Long, Xiaoxia Wen, Seth T Gammon, Jorge Delacerda, Sanaz Javadi, Chun Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: To investigate contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) for early prediction of tumor response to combined irreversible electroporation (IRE) and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

Methods: Murine pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells KRAS* were inoculated into the pancreas of C57BL/6 mice. IRE was performed when tumors became palpable. After IRE, mice received six intraperitoneal injections of anti-PD-1 over 2 weeks. T2-weighted MRI, T1-weighted MRI with macromolecular contrast agent poly(L-glutamic acid)-conjugated gadolinium (PG-Gd), and DWI were performed before and after IRE. Survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Mice surviving at least 100 days without recurrence after IRE were considered complete …

Neutrophil-Microglia Interaction Drives Motor Dysfunction In A Neuromyelitis Optica Model Induced By Subarachnoid Aqp4-Igg, Fangfang Qi, Vanda A Lennon, Shunyi Zhao, Yong Guo, Husheng Ding, Caiyun Liu, Whitney M Bartley, Tingjun Chen, Claudia F Lucchinetti, Long-Jun Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Neutrophils and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) contribute to early neuromyelitis optica (NMO) histopathology initiated by IgG targeting astrocytic aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels. Yet, the mechanisms underlying neutrophil recruitment and their pathogenic roles in disease progression remain unclear. To investigate molecular-cellular events preceding classical complement cascade activation in a mouse NMO model, we continuously infused, via spinal subarachnoid route, a non-complement-activating mouse monoclonal AQP4-IgG. Parenchymal infiltration of netting neutrophils containing C5a ensued with microglial activation and motor impairment but no blood-brain barrier leakage. Motor impairment and neuronal dysfunction both reversed when AQP4-IgG infusion stopped. Two-photon microscopy and electron microscopy-based reconstructions revealed …

Gompertz Growth With A Shared Carrying Capacity Optimally Simulates Primary And Metastatic Tumor Growth Dynamics, Pirmin Schlicke, Preethi Korangath, Xiaoxi Pan, Caner Ercan, Kathleen Gabrielson, Lyndsey Werhane, Yinyin Yuan, Sébastien Benzekry, Robert Ivkov, Heiko Enderling

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Cancer is a systemic disease with most deaths attributed to metastatic burden. Primary and metastatic tumors, albeit at different anatomic locations, are interconnected through multiple biological processes. Pre-clinical and clinical observations of growth acceleration of metastases after surgery, or abscopal effects outside the radiation field are widely reported, yet reliably triggering favorable and avoiding unfavorable systemic responses remains an unmet clinical need. Understanding local and systemic tumor interaction dynamics will help guide future treatments.

Methods: We analyze the data of multiple in vivo tumor models. We formalize the systemic interplay of tumors as mathematical differential equation and calibrate parameters …

Structural-Functional Analyses Of The Huntingtin/Hap40 Complex In Drosophila And Humans, Stephen M Farmer, Amanda Solbach, Shiyu Xu, Beatriz Rios, Xin Ye, Amy Gao, Daniela Covarrubias, Yue Yu, Lili Ye, Vicky Chuong, Erin Furr Stimming, Haiqing Zhao, Sheng Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by an abnormal CAG expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. Given its simple genetic cause but complex pathogenic mechanisms, interest in targeting HTT for HD treatment is growing, necessitating a clear understanding of HTT regulation. HTT protein primarily exists in a core complex with HAP40, forming a highly ordered structure with two large globular domains connected by a bridge. We previously demonstrated that HAP40 is conserved in

Carotid Endarterectomy Remains A Feasible Bailout For Progressive Disease After Transcarotid Artery Revascularization: A Case Report, Aidin Baghbani, Blaz Podgorsek, Jason B Storch, Gordon H Martin, Naveed U Saqib, Daniel G Miles

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) remains the gold standard for carotid revascularization, though transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) has emerged as a less invasive alternative. We present a 67-year-old man with prior bilateral TCAR who developed severe right internal carotid artery restenosis 14 months after the procedure. Imaging confirmed >80% stenosis due to progressive plaque burden compressing the stent. The patient underwent successful CEA with en bloc stent explant using a standard technique. Recovery was uneventful. This case demonstrates the technical feasibility and safety of surgical stent explant after TCAR and reinforces CEA as a reliable salvage strategy when stent failure or disease …

Carotid Endarterectomy Remains A Feasible Bailout For Progressive Disease After Transcarotid Artery Revascularization: A Case Report, Aidin Baghbani, Blaz Podgorsek, Jason B Storch, Gordon H Martin, Naveed U Saqib, Daniel G Miles

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) remains the gold standard for carotid revascularization, though transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) has emerged as a less invasive alternative. We present a 67-year-old man with prior bilateral TCAR who developed severe right internal carotid artery restenosis 14 months after the procedure. Imaging confirmed >80% stenosis due to progressive plaque burden compressing the stent. The patient underwent successful CEA with en bloc stent explant using a standard technique. Recovery was uneventful. This case demonstrates the technical feasibility and safety of surgical stent explant after TCAR and reinforces CEA as a reliable salvage strategy when stent failure or disease …